The prospect of mass deployment of wooden wind turbine towers came closer as technology pioneer Modvion unveiled a deal with global developer RES.
A letter of intent between RES and Modvion will see the developer “promote” the latter’s modular, laminated wood towers to wind turbine manufacturers supplying its projects in the Nordic nations.
The agreement foresees supply of about 20 towers annually for ten years from 2026, which could be worth around SKr4bn ($353m).
The tie-up with RES adds to other potential collaborations with industry heavyweights Vattenfall and Enel as Modvion, which is backed by wind OEM giant Vestas, looks to commercialise lightweight, easy-to-transport towers it hopes will be a viable alternative to steel and shift the wind industry further towards a 100%-sustainable model.
The Sweden-based start-up hopes it can benefit from the shift to ever higher hub heights to tap stronger winds, where it believes a combination of strength and modularity to aid logistics could give it an edge.
Matilda Afzelius, CEO at RES in the Nordics, said: “In order to generate the most cost-efficient wind energy we need to build taller turbines. That’s where Modvion’s solution becomes very interesting. Being able to reach the stronger winds at heights of 290 metres, while reducing emissions, is an offering that we want to include in our projects as soon as possible.”
